In the opening two minutes Darlaston keeper Will O'Sullivan dropped the ball at the feet of former Sporting Khalsa forward Josh McKenzie. O'Sullivan recovered quickly to deny the striker the opening goal.

As the game settled down, the sheer pace and tenacity of both sides meant that quality suffered, as defences generally had the upper hand. Dan Danks and Harry Crook were proving a handful down both flanks for Dudley whilst Aaron Bishop and Kieron Miller were dangerous for the visitors. McKenzie was off target with a header at the back post and Owen Massey shot wide when well placed.

The visitors grew into the game, Miller having two strong runs down the right flank, but his crosses failed to reach their target, Joe Colley, and Jamie Beddall superb at the heart of the home defence.

The opening goal came on 37 minutes. A superb three man move down the right saw Miller, Bishop and Turton combine to set up James Rowland to clip the ball into the net, beyond keeper Ethan Hawkes.

The visitors made a strong start to the second half, and if the home side had the edge in the first half the visitors had the better of the opening exchanges in the second half.

Darlaston, somewhat fortuitously, doubled their lead on 57 minutes, under pressure, keeper Hawkes punching into his own net from Podmore's long throw.

Crook continued to cause problems for the home side McKenzie and Massey both having difficult half chances cleared by Foreshaw and Podmore respectively.

The visitors looked to add to their goal tally, chances falling to Bishop who was giving the home defence a torrid time, but he was thwarted by Colley and Hawkes on two occasions. Bishop again broke clear, his cross, come shot evading everyone.

The game continued to ebb and flow both sets of players giving their all for their teams but as in the first half, quality suffered, the ball too often in the air.

Darlaston were to rue their missed chances as Dudley went in search of the goal that would give them a lifeline back into the game. The lifeline came 12 minutes from area; when the impressive Crook was tripped in the penalty area, Crook despatched the resultant spot kick low to O'Sullivan's left. Darlaston substitute Lewis Gill sin binned for his remonstrations. leaving his team to play ten minutes with ten men.

The goal set up a rousing finish, Crook hitting the post following a superb run, whilst substitute Emile Beckford was lively. With the game going into added time Beckford was adjudged to have been fouled by Foreshaw inside the penalty area. Again, Crook stepped up confidently to slot home the spot kick.

A typical Black Country derby between two very good sides ending all square. Overall, a fair result, Darlaston extending their unbeaten League run to six games.

Darlaston are not in action this Saturday, returning to action next Wednesday 20 September with a home league cup tie against Wolverhampton Casuals.